As part of our commitment to achieving 50/50 gender parity with the Irish screen industries, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to announce the successful teams for its new POV scheme supporting female filmmakers. The selected projects present an impressive array of up-and-coming Irish creative filmmaking talent with a slate of projects that explore themes of identity, love, loss, possibility and limitations.

Following a very competitive selection process, the six successful projects will now enter a development and mentorship phase before the three final projects go into production with a budget of up to €400K each.

The final six POV projects are:

Knowl to be written by Elisabeth Gooch (Nightbird, Finalist 2015 NYWIFT Writer’s Lab), directed by Lisa Mulcahy (The Legend of Longwood), and produced by Ruth Carter (Damo and Ivor: The Movie) for Blue Ink Films;

It Is In Us All to be written and directed by Antonia Campbell-Hughes (Q4L (quest for love), Screen Ireland Short Story) and produced by Conor Barry (Pilgrimage) for Savage Productions;

Down By Your Side to be written directed by Niamh Heery (A Father’s Letter, Screen Ireland After ’16) and produced by Caroline Kealy (Staccato) for Swansong Films;

Sunlight to be written by Ailbhe Keogan (Take Me Swimming, Screen Ireland Focus Short), directed by Claire Dix (Take Me Swimming) and produced by Roisín Geraghty (GAZE Film Festival) for Blinder Films;

Tryst to be written and directed by Jeda De Brí (Procession, Screen Ireland Short Story) and produced by Claire McCaughley (Metal Heart) for Treasure Entertainment;

You Are Not My Mother to be written and directed by Kate Dolan (Catcalls, Screen Ireland Focus Short) and produced by Deirdre Levins (Nails) for Fantastic Films.

Commenting on the high level of applications received, the selection panel said “The standard of applications we received on this scheme was very impressive. It was a hugely competitive process with 65 applications competing for six funding awards. It was no easy feat whittling them down, but we believe that the six chosen projects are wonderful examples of the wealth of female talent working in the Irish screen industries today.”

Speaking about the scheme James Hickey, Chief Executive, Screen Ireland said: “We launched POV with the sole purpose of increasing female representation both in front of and behind the camera as part of Screen Ireland’s wider commitment to achieving 50/50 gender parity within the Irish screen industries.

“Our aim with the scheme is to enable female-driven storytelling on screen and we are looking forward to seeing three of these stories coming to fruition and being seen by Irish and international audiences.”

The three selected films aim to be ready for production in late 2019, early 2020. All crew working on the projects should be given the opportunity to upgrade. A strong gender balance will also be expected across all crew with training and mentorship opportunities afforded to all involved in the making of the films. The selection panel for POV consisted of Screen Ireland Project Managers Celine Haddad, Lesley McKimm, Dearbhla Regan and Production and Distribution Manager Emma Scott.

More about the projects:

KNOWL
Based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s Gothic thriller, Uncle Silas, Knowl is a period adaptation with a modern twist. Forced to fight her guardian for her inheritances — and her life — an orphaned heiress must embrace her family’s dark legacy to survive.

IT IS IN US ALL
Hamish is a fast-living, successful media type from London. He has it all, yet he is deeply unsatisfied. After a near-fatal car crash, he is unable to shake off the mysterious pull of the boy racer who almost took his life.

DOWN BY YOUR SIDE
Nicola and Cian (25) are twins who live and perform as Irish dancers in their family pub, deep in the bog lands of Ireland. Nicola is a fierce, adept Irish dancer with a caustic sense of humour. Cian is gay, tall and jocular with a touch of frenzied energy. They drink to excess to the disdain of their widowed mother. However, Nicola and Cian have their bond tested when a secret is revealed from their past.

SUNLIGHT
In this compassionate comedy, Leon, a recovering addict cares for Iver, his terminally ill sponsor with a bonded devotion. Leon interrupts Iver self-euthanizing with an exit-guide, Maria, in attendance. A betrayed Leon refuses to let his hero die until Iver sees the tribute show Leon has created in his honour.

TRYST
Matt and Steph are planning their wedding. Their maid of honour, Rachel, has just been fired. Things are under control. Mostly. But when their friendship and relationship start to get tangled, events transpire that threaten to unravel everything.

YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER
In a North Dublin house estate, Char’s mother goes missing. When she returns, Char is convinced something or someone has replaced her.